Question ISO cheap HTPC system?

[parsimonius]

I'm on a tight budget $200. I'd like to know if there are any small sized computers suitable for use for very basic use - watch videos, surf the net and listen to mp3 files or internet radio. I intend to connect it to a TCL TV as the monitor. It will not be used for gaming. In a perfect world, I'd like to find something that is small that does not require a lot of space and is easy to physically carry and move around. I want it to have an Ethernet port, HDMI port and USB ports, and medium (HD or SSD) to install either Windows 10 or some flavor of Linux such as Mint or Ubuntu and my music files, approx 100GB. No dual booting though.

I'm just getting started thinking about this, so if a laptop or tablet fits my criteria, I'd like to hear suggestion, but the Ethernet port is required. I use wire throughout my home. In the past, I've thought that even something like a Pi4 might fit my requirements price-wise and size but not sure if it would work well with videos.

Thanks,

John

 

[punkncat]

Take a look into refurbished Dell Optiplex SFF builds. Should fit the bill nicely.

A NUC would be a good option as well, but they tend towards expensive for what they are.

 

[Math Geek]

a Pi4 or arduino would be enough for such simple tasks.

i have a couple i tinker with and they easily surf the web and stream netflix type stuff. i have one set-up for travel with streaming services all ready to go. i used to use a roku stick but i like being able to browse the web as well with it.

storage is the only concern there though. i believe a model or 2 has an m.2 slot but otherwise you got an SD card as storage which is good enough for music, but can still be a bit slow.

 

[parsimonius]

a Pi4 or arduino would be enough for such simple tasks.

i have a couple i tinker with and they easily surf the web and stream netflix type stuff. i have one set-up for travel with streaming services all ready to go. i used to use a roku stick but i like being able to browse the web as well with it.

storage is the only concern there though. i believe a model or 2 has an m.2 slot but otherwise you got an SD card as storage which is good enough for music, but can still be a bit slow.

I've always been intrigued by the concept of the Raspberry Pi but never followed up on it. From what I've read, something like the SanDisk 256GB SD card should work with the Pi4B. That size should certainly handle both the music files I have and Pi's OS. What I can't visualize atm is what I physically need to do. My impression is that the Pi needs either a USB flash drive to boot from or a SD HD. Can the USB flash drive be used to make a bootable SD HD for the Pi using the Pi device itself to make that bootable SD HD? Does the SD HD have a size limitation? I ask because I would like to fit files and the OS on one drive. FWIW, I don't have an SD HD card reader or device. I have a horror image that I would never be able to change the size of the SD HD the Pi uses to boot from because you have to remove the existing SD HD at which point you lose the OS.

 

[Math Geek]

you do need an sd card reader to install the Raspian OS

Raspberry Pi OS – Raspberry Pi

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you make the sd card and then put it into the pi. it's a pretty quick and painless process but it has to be done on a separate system. once running you can access the pi with its own monitor/mouse/KB or ssh into it to manage it from another set-up. i use a cheap BT KB/mouse combo when on the road and just ssh into it when home.

you can run an ssd with it or with an add-on board an m.2 drive

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